Seal



Patented Dec. 2, A1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FRANK KEIDEL, OF ELMHURST, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE INTERNATIONAL SEAL AND KNOT PROTECTOR CO., OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK SEAL Application led November 9, 1929. Serial No. 405,894.

This invention relates to seals, and the preferred embodiment involves features broadly covered in my co-pending application, filed February 23, 1929, Serial No. 341,965.

My improved seal is of the type in which the relatively movable parts will automatically lock to sealing position after being applied to an article to be sealed, and when in sealed or locked position, cannot be opened without mutilation thereof to such a degree as will render the seal unfit for further use.

One object of the invention is to provide a novel seal which may be formed from a single piece of metal bent to form the several elements of the seal, thereby providing an article which may be manufactured for comparatively small cost.

Other advantages will be pointed out more particularly hereinafter or will be apparent from an inspection of the embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings which illustrate two forms on an enlarged scaley Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one form of my seal,

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the blank from which the seal illustrated inv Fig. 1 is formed,

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the blank partially bent to form the seal,

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the complete seal ready for use,

Fig. 5 is a transvese sectional view taken on the line 5 5 ofFig. 1,

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a blank from which a second form of the seal may be made,

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the seal constructed from the blank shown in Fig. 6, before the same has been closed, and Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the last mentioned yform of the invention after the seal has been closed. v

In that form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, the seal is substantially triangular in longitudinal sectional L' shape. The seal comprises a housing section 10, a closure section 11 adapted to fold to position and close the housing 10, and an inner locking section 12, all formed from the same sheet of metal and connected end to end and each of channel shape. The housfold within the housing 10 is connected to the latter by an intermediate section 22. The sections 12 preferably has extensions 20 which when bent upon the dotted lines 20 form side walls for this section. The intermediate section 22 is rectangular inshape and of a width substantially equal to the width of the sections 17 and of a length less than the Width ofthe part 10. After the sections 17 and the walls 21 have been bent to the position shown in Fig. 3, the section 22 is bent upon the line 23 so that it also forms an end wall for the housing `10 and occupies a position closely adjacent the sections 17. The section 12 is then bent upon the dotted line 24' to a position within the housing 10 with the wall 12 substantially in the plane of the upper edges of the walls 14, as shown in Fig. 4.

The closure section 11 has tapered side extensions 27 which when bent on the dotted lines 29 form side walls 28. Each of the side walls 28 is provided with an edge portion 30 bent to form inturned flanges upon the side walls-28 of the closure section 11. The section is wider than the section 12, but narrower than the section 10.

The closure section 11 is bent upon the line 3 2 to position shown in Fig. 4 and the seal is then ready for application to the article to be sealed. In use, to enclose the knotted end A of a tying cord, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, said end is placed within the housing 10 with the cords extending therefrom at the point of bend of the closure section. If desired, notches, such as 33, may be provided to prevent pinching of the cord by the side walls of the closure section. If now, the closure section be further bent upon the line 32, its, side walls 28 pass between the side walls 14 of the housing 10, and the side walls 21 of the infolded section 12, until' the inturned flanges SO/engages beneath the edges of the side walls 21 of the inturned section 12. The closure section 11 may extend slightly beyond the sidewalls 28 and terminates flush with the end of the housing when the closure member is moved to closed position, and this end portion may. be beaded down to snugly engage the top of the wall 12 to prevent the insertion of a tool or knife blade therebeneath.

It will be noted that the closure section 11 embraces the infolded section 12 to protect the locking engagement of the inturned flanges 31 with the edges of the walls 21 of the infolded section 12, and prevents releasing of this lockingengagement without mutilation of the parts to such an extent as would render them unfit for further use. It will be understood that the spacing of the walls 21, 14 and 28 is shown somewhat exaggerated in Fig. 5.

In the form illustrated in Figs. 6 to 8, the seal comprises a rectangular housing section 40, a section 41 adapted to fold thereinto and a closure section 42, each of which is similar to its -respective member in the heretofore de scribed form of the invention.

This type of seal is formed from a blank, such as shown in Fig. 6, shaped to provide the several members 40, 41 and 42. The member 41 is formed from the main body portion 43 of the blank by folding the same along the idotted lines 44 to provide upst-anding side walls 45. Slits 46 provide end wall sections 46 for the housing section 40, which end walls are bent inwardly upon the dotted lines 47.

The infolding section 41 has a body portion 48 and side walls 49 formed by bending portions upon the dotted lines 50. After the side and end walls of the housing section have been formed, this infoldingA member is bent upon the dotted lines 50? and 51 to position it within the housing 40 as in Fig. 7. 'The closure section has a body portion 52 and side walls 53 formed by bending uponthe dotted lines 54. Each of the portions 53 has an edge portion 55 bent to provide inturned anges 56. The portion 52 is con# nected to the portion 43 by a neck portion 57. When the blank `is bentv upon the dotted line 58, said neck portion will engage the adjacent end wall portions 46 as in Fig. 7.

When employed as a means for protecting the knot of tie strings, or where the article to be sealed is in the form of two Strands of cord, wire or the like, the secured ends of the strands may be placed within the housing 40 with the strands extending through the corners as in Fig. 1 or through openings 60 and 61, as shown in Fig. 8. The openings may be in any desired position.

The seal is closed by bending the closure section upon the dotted line 62 until it is positioned within the housing section 40. The locking of the closure section is effected in the same manner as in the heretofore de scribed form of the invention.

The only places in which a tool or knife blade may be inserted in the form shown in Fig. l to force the seal are between the walls 14 and- 28 or the walls 1l and 12. The wall 14 cannot be pried out as it is held by the walls 17, and the tool will force the interlocked walls 28 and 21 closer together. The wall 11 cannot be pried up as it is locked `by .the engagement of the edges of the walls-21 and 28. The seal cannot be opened without breaking or mu'tilating the parts. The same applies to the form shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8.

While in the present instance, the invention has been illustrated as applied to a seal for protecting the knots of tiestrings or the like, it is to .be understood that it may be carried out in many other embodiments and that the details of construction and the design and relative proportion of parts may be varied within comparatively wide limits in accordance with the character of the article or articles to,J be sealed without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, the housing section and the closure section may, if desired, be so shaped as to receive and enclose the coupling union of a pipe, in which case it would only be necessary to pro vide openings in the side walls of the housing section l() and the closure section 11 to receiv .the 'pipe on opposite sides of the coupling. Y

It will be noted that in my improved construction there is no drawing or stretching or crimping of the metal, the only operations being simple bending of the proper shaped blank on straight lines. Thus it may be made at very low cost by simple and inexpensive apparatus without the use of any complicated or costly dies.

Having thus described my invention, what .I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent isz' l. A seal including a main section, a sec tion at one end adapted to fold thereinto, and having side walls spaced from the side and bottom walls of the housing section, and a section at the other end of the housingv and adapted to form a closure for the housing, said closure section being engageable with the side edges of the first mentioned end section to lock the closure section in closing position.

2. A seal including a main section, an end section adapted to fold thereinto and having inturned side walls spaced from the side and bottom walls of the housing section, a second end section adapted to form a closure -or the housing and having side Walls adapted for interengagement with the side walls of the iirst end section between the latterand the sides of the housing to lock the closure section in closing position.

3. A seal including a main section forming lio iis

65 tion in 'closed position.

a housing to receive an articleto be sealed an end section adapted to fold thereinto an having side walls spaced from the side, and bottom walls of the housing, a second end section forming a closure for the housing and having side walls terminating in inturned flanges for engagement beneath the edges of the side walls ofthe infolded section to lock the closure section in closing position.

4. A seal including a central section and two end sections each of channel shape in cross section, one end section being narrower than the central section and adapted to fold thereinto with its side walls spaced from/the side walls of the center section, and the other end section being wider than the first end section and narrower than the main section and adapted to fold over with its side walls between the side walls of the center section and the side walls of the infolded end section, and means on said side walls of said end sections for locking together the two end sections independent of said main section.

5. A seal including a main section adapted to form a housing to receive an article to be sealed, a relatively smaller section adapted to fold thereinto and having side walls spaced from the side and bottom walls of the housing section, a section forming a closure for the housing and having side walls adapted for position between the side Walls of the housing and the side walls of thef infolded section, the side walls of the closure section having flanges for engaging the inner edges of the side walls of the infolded section.

6. `A seal including a main section adapted to form a housing to receive an article to be sealed, a section adapted to fold thereinto, and a section adapted to fold into the housing section and form a closure therefor, and

, adapted to embrace the infolded section to lock the closure section in closing position.

7. A seal including a housin section, a second section adapted to fold within the hgusing and having depending sidewalls spaced from the side and bottom walls of thehousing section, a closure section having side walls means on the sides of the two end sections and l interengaging to lock together the end sections within the center section.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 8th day of November, A. D. 1929.

FRANK KEIDEL.

adapted to pass between theside'walls of the housing section and of the v inturned section when the closure section moves to closing position, and inturned flanges formed on the side walls of the closure section for engagement beneath the side walls of the inturned sectionto lockthelclosure section in closed position. Y

8. A seal including a main section adapted to form a housing to receivean article to be sealed, a section adapted to fold thereinto, and a section adapted to :told into the housing section and form a closure therefor, and

adapted to embrace the infolded section, and

inturned anges,on the closure section tofV f interlock with the infolded section and Within the housing section to lock the closure sec- 

